a) Field of the Invention
The invention concerns anti-theft devices which inhibit rotation of vehicle steering wheels. In particular, the present invention concerns the attachment of anti-theft devices to steering wheels of various configurations.
b) Description of Related Art
A variety of anti-theft devices for attachment to vehicle steering wheels are known. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,738,127 to Johnson, 4,304,110 to Fain, 4,103,524 to Mitchell et al., 3,807,779 to Enders, 3,742,743 to Stoyanovitch, 3,664,164 to Zaidener, and 3,462,982 to Moore use a pair of U-shaped hooks to engage diametrically opposite points of a steering wheel. The U-shaped hooks are telescopically related and include a lock for securing the relative telescopic position. In each instance, the lateral spacing between the arms of the U-shaped hooks is arbitrarily selected large enough to universally accommodate most grip diameters of a plurality of vehicle steering wheels. In this disclosure, grip diameter refers to the diameter, measured parallel to the axis of the steering column, of an annular steering wheel as gripped in the vehicle operator's hand. Consequently, the known anti-theft devices generally fit the steering wheel so loosely as to enable the U-shaped portion at an end of the anti-theft device to be manipulated (e.g. oscillated such that the arms of the U-shaped hooks contact the axially facing, relative to the steering column axis, surfaces of the steering wheel). It has been observed that this disadvantage in the prior art provides fulcrum points for prying the anti-theft device off the steering wheel, and/or breaking the steering wheel so as to remove the anti-theft device.